


Return to Service

by SurgicalRose



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: 5.0 Predictions, Angst, Drabble, F/M, Female Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Freeform, Future/Theorycrafting, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Might grow into a full fic, Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Possible 4.3/4.4 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-17 15:56:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16098932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SurgicalRose/pseuds/SurgicalRose
Summary: The decision for her to return was told to her.Told.As if she was a child being lectured.-Tags will be updated if this grows into a full fic.





	1. Told

Iqe huffed and rested her forehead against the cool mirror surface. She willed herself to not turn her head and re-examine the pendant that was nestled in parchment upon their dresser. A gnawing sense of dread broiled over in her stomach as she replayed her recent interactions with one of the members of the Scions pleading for her immediate return.

Casting her eyes over the peaceful form of her betrothed nestled under the blankets, she fiddled with her gloves and rotated her wrists to reacquaint herself with the feeling of leather whilst occasionally, practicing the motions that would summon forth her most powerful spells. The rod weighed as heavy as the stone forming her stomach at the thought of her beloved waking up to the first of many cold and bitter mornings, until this one-off mission was completed.

That was the one thing Iqe managed to leave unnegotiated, after her harsh conversation upon the balcony the previous night. A bitter feeling coated the inside of her mouth upon the recollection of how easily she was talked into a corner.

“I did not think you would be one to let his sacrifice be for naught.”

That was a low blow that Thancred had dealt. They both knew it. The second the harshly whispered words fled from the ninja’s mouth had made her visibly flinch as if the sentence was going to leave a bruise across her chest. 

The decision for her to return was told to her. 

**Told.**

As if she was a child being lectured.

She would gather her thaumaturge equipment she had locked away and rejoin the Scions at the Rising Stones to hear the rest of the plan to infiltrate Garlemald at dawn. She would be escorted by Thancred himself and they would ride there by chocobo, to give Iqe the time she would need to mentally prepare herself for the reunion as well as to prevent Thancred from being afflicted with aether sickness too close to the execution of said plan. 

Her chest coiled at the fact that it meant she would be in the same room as Alisaie. A feat that had yet to be achieved since Iqe’s retirement.

A soft murmuring made the miqo’te’s ears flicker and refocused her attention on her betrothed. It was going to be more painful for them both to rouse Aymeric from his much-needed rest only to fill his heart with the same worry and fear that he carried whilst she was outside of Ishgard. 

She quickly caught the fat tears rolling down her face with a rough swipe. It wasn’t fair to him to leave in the middle of the night without explanation, but she prayed that her letter would be enough to suffice. That the necklace she’d entrust to his safety would be received as a promise for her swift return to resume her retirement.

Iqe couldn’t continue to procrastinate for much longer.

The agreed upon time was fast approaching.

She needed to leave.


	2. Recall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Did you find him?” Y’Shtola whispered hastily.
> 
> Iqe tensed and her lower lip wobbled.

It takes the duo to reach the mouth of Daniffen Pass, before Iqe manages to break the silence with a hesitant and soft-spoken question.

“H-how fares Alisaie?”

“A-And the others?” She hurriedly adds as an after-thought.

Thancred lets out a long and heavy sigh but allows his expression to soften some, when he spots that the reins on Iqe’s chocobo were trembling from not just the cold weather itself and how firmly she kept her ears pinned against her head.

“Better. Now that time’s managed to repair some of the wounds.” Thancred offers with a tiny half-grin, slowing his chocobo’s pace to match Iqe’s. 

Prior to their Warrior of Light’s retirement, there had been an initial siege on Garlemald, led by the Eorzean alliance and Hien’s forces. Through careful pairings of Orthardian tribes with the most suitable Grand Companies, it was a resounding success in breaking down the Imperial army and lowering their numbers. The Scion-end of the mission had the complete opposite in terms of results.

They had been painstakingly close to succeeding, Thancred recalls, remembering how he waited with bated breath once the same soft-spoken voice crackled over their linkpearls announcing she had found their target.  
There was nothing else for an entire hour.

No matter how many questions or queries they all directed Iqe’s way, they heard nothing from her.

Even after Lyse was threatening to physically drag him out personally, after some of the Scions withdrew and held fast to the belief that their Warrior of Light would return to them with Alphinaud safely in tow, Thancred doubted.

The rogue remembers lurking near Iqe’s last known coordinates strongly debating whether to continue to ignore Lyse’s growing panic or to investigate further, despite the place beginning to refill with Imperial soldiers, when he felt something shift in the air and the hairs on the back of his neck bristle.

He tensed and slowly began to reach for the blade he kept stashed in his boot.

Luckily, Y’shtola had the sense to have seized his wrist and squeeze it sharply, before he could sling knives first and ask questions later.

Thancred remembers how the miqo’te had searched his face whilst wearing a grave expression, trying to see if he had found anything. With a shake of his head and an equally displeased expression, Y’Shtola gestured over to a pile of wreckage with her staff. She slowly released his wrist and began to move.

The duo reached the destination that Y’Shtola had pointed out and only then did they both allow themselves to breathe. The chances of either of them being spotted were increasing the longer they delayed but based upon how deeply Y’Shtola was frowning and how tightly knitted together her eyebrows were, she must’ve learned something.

He remembers how quickly she stuffed her palm over his mouth for daring to breathe her name and the intense look of warning and distress that flashed across her face. Her ears had twitched and flickered about for a few moments, before Y’Shtola gestured again. He nodded and prepared to guard her back as she led the way.

Upon reaching the next wreckage site, they were immediately met with an Iqe that looked frightfully pale with red-rimmed eyes and tear stained cheeks.

“Did you find him?” Y’Shtola whispered hastily.

Iqe tensed and her lower lip wobbled. She nodded slowly and wetted her lips, before croaking out

“He’s dead. Zenos cut him down, when I hesitated… I’m so sorry…”

How they managed to escape from the fortress inside Garlemald and end up back on one of the airships passed the trio by in a blur. Thancred felt his ears resound with the news that Iqe brought with them, whilst he watched forlornly as Y’Shtola took Lyse to one side.

He saw Lyse’s eyes and mouth widen in horror, before quickly correcting herself and looking over her shoulder. Thancred assumed that Lyse was asking whether the other Scions had been informed, before the sound of a door crashing open distracted the three of them.

His heart struck painfully for the red mage, as she nearly tripped over herself to get to Y’Shtola. He could see the lost look on her face crumple into disbelief as Y’Shtola relayed the story to her again and that same gaze directed over towards himself. He could only nod solemnly at her. The mournful cry that escaped Alisaie’s lips embedded itself into his brain, as Lyse quickly offered the poor girl a handkerchief and some words of comfort.

He briefly wondered how Iqe chose to break the news to Alisaie, if the young Leveilleur’s reaction was to run to them for clarification, especially since the only one that had seen Alphinaud’s corpse was Iqe herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think its safe to say that this will start growing into a full fanfic, though updates are gonna be really spotty due to uni.
> 
> A huge thank you to those that left kudos and those that read the first chapter!
> 
> Once again, a big thanks to Dread for helping me out with this one :3
> 
> You can also leave comments/suggestions as well :3

**Author's Note:**

> This idea literally came outta an angst-filled daydream I had one day, so I decided to stick on some music to get myself into the mindset and crank it out.  
> A big thanks to my fiance and my friend, Dread, for helping me iron some things out as well as coming up with the title!
> 
> Please let me know what you think of it :)


End file.
